Archive for October 2011

I am at around 100 pages of Tarmarind Mem by Anita Rau Badami. good read.

While scanning Akay’s place http://madras2madurai.hopto.org/blog/ book section came across Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, – I have the book but don’t know it is in which box. First time read it years back, I did not understand many things. going to make a second attempt-hopefully I am wiser now. booked with the library. Thanks for reminding akay.

– 1 cup yogurt drained over night or use thick greek yogurt. I make do with the stuff I have usually in the fridge-that is why I drain the normal yogurt

Steam cauliflower just enough that, it is cooked but still has bit of a crunch. You can do in a streamer like the idli maker. Lazy me don’t want to wash 2 pots. So I put the cauliflower in a big pot, add just about 1/4 cup water. When cooked enough, drain off the water-normally not much water is left.

Mix yogurt with ½ tsp each of chilli powder , jeera powder,and chat masala. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the yogurt mix to the cauliflower to get a good coating- I shake up the pot few times instead doing with a spoon-you don’t want to mash it up. Add chopped coriander leaves or green onion etc for more color.

Try it as quick side dish or veggie appetizer.

Recipe inspired from Jamie Oliver’s recipe. As much as I cannot write proper recipe, I cannot follow one either- I make my own, therefore ‘inspired’

update: KR and Suman do not like Yogurt. call me sterotype old fashined, which Tamilian does not like yogurt?. A mallu me can live with just Thayir..only thing I want to eat at Laksh’s when I visit is thayir saadam. if she does not have big enough pot just for my batch, I will come with that..anything for thayir saadam.

Instead of Yogurt how about we try this( I never tried, think it works)- 1 Lemon’s juice, 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO) mix well with ½ tsp each of chilli powder , jeera powder,and chat masala. Season with salt and pepper. it is more like a dressing now. it should work.

Last Friday chechy and I spent some time together at her place. We did nothing but talked, had simple lunch, avoided senseless snacking. We talked everything and anything- as always we do not know what we talked about. We shared parenting worries, joys, anxieties, worries about our parents, work place politics and moments from the past from each other’s journey till here- we were surprised, although we are very close there were still surprises like why I did what I did etc . Normally we have kids running around when we meet and so don’t get to chat up. This was perfect.

It also took us back to 2 weeks of October 2001. 10 years back I was fairly new in the country ( just over a year), chechy just moved to England ( after her husband’s death) leaving her daughter with mommy giving her time to settle in, find a school etc. She visited me and stayed with me in my humble rented apartment. 2 weeks were a blast. I was unmarried, had a comfortable work and got a car that summer. We shopped, we visited places together, ate all nonsense, spent sleepless nites talking, I cooked her favorites and she cooked some for me.

And one Friday night we had company over for sleepover, guess who- UL and her sister Paru and my retired aunt. We had a wonderful( this is not the right word to describe it) time. We danced the nite out in the apartment.

We should again. If it is the same company, nothing like it. That may a dream. But one day in every October chechy and I decided to meet like this.

We have emailed occasionally, commented on each other’s blog, worked in the same industry segment ( did not know until recently) but never talked. It happened last week. Few emails exchanged, she asked my# and I gave my work# and asked hers. As soon as her email hit, I called her( totally surprised her) and she had no clue who I am. Anyways, chatted briefly, I headed for a meeting and she was right at the school door picking up kids. It was nice catching up with you. That leaves just one person in this gang whom I haven’t talked. Should do it- you know who you are. Call me on your lonely drive back home
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Suman blogged about her weekday mornings of love. I have similar chaos at my home. Her post helped me to savor in all the love and cuteness through the yelling and madness. In fact I am yelling less. Thank you dearie.
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Why do people scare their friends- ask UL.. I am breathing easy after October 13. Please don’t do this again.
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I need some help from you all to move a lazy mountain- who got stuck last year Diwali.

“when I am 8, I will be older than you” said my daughter joyfully to her brother.
“no, how can it be? I will be around 11yrs then. I will be the older one always”
“why you get to the older one always? I want to be the older one”
“now you cannot change it because I was born first to mama and dada”. My daughter is whining louder at it..then silence (I knew something is coming)
“I wish mama’s tummy had a computer inside that tells to send the daughter out first”. Yes she has a solution..though bit late.

After a hearty laugh which she also joined, I heard my son almost whispering to her “ you know it is good to be the younger one because the parents are always gentle to the younger one and harder on the older one”

Me thinking’ I am going wrong in all directions!!..sigh.
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Another evening between mama and her girl.

‘Mama I have no idea whether my daughter will be born first or son” she said with a very serious face.
‘Oh mole, it does not matter who comes first. And anyway, there is plenty of time for you to think about it”.
‘No mama I want my daughter to be born first” she said insisting.
“Why mole?”
“Because daughters are fun to be with and really cool..see just like you and me”
(Ok, I will take it..I am fun to be with )

I was the first one to vote in our polling booth. Kind of happened by fluke. Normally I go in the evening after work with kids in tow. Today I thought the polls open at 8.30, and headed to booth after dropping kids, there I was the only voter as the officials were setting up to open at 9am.
It felt good..may be it will never happen again.

note:It was our provincial election( similar to the state elections in india).